Hibiscus plant named ‘15719 GRW’

ABSTRACT

‘15719 GRW’ is a new and distinct hardy herbaceous  Hibiscus  hybrid with novel characteristics that include upright branched stems, numerous, outward-facing, very light purplish-blue flowers, which can intensify to very pale purplish blue in response to high UV radiation, with a dark-red eye with an external halo of vivid red, a prolonged blooming season, and hastate, trilobed leaves.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Hibiscus hybrid (L.).

Cultivar denomination: ‘15719 GRW’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the new and distinct hibiscus plant ‘15719 GRW’. ‘15719 GRW’ was generated from a cross performed on Jul. 22, 2014 near Vernon, Tex. between ‘12078-5’ (pod parent, unpatented) and ‘14054-3M’ (pollen parent, unpatented). The pedigrees of each parent reflect a complex mixture of hibiscus species that include, for example, H. mocheutos, H. coccineus, H. militaris, or H. dasycalyx. The seed from this cross was harvested on Sep. 7, 2014 and the ‘15719 GRW’ seedling was selected in the summer of 2015. ‘15719 GRW’ was first asexually propagated near Vernon, Tex. in 2016 by stem tip cuttings. The resulting as well as subsequent asexually propagated plants have been stable and true to type throughout successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘15719 GRW’ differs from its parents and all other known hardy herbaceous hibiscus plants. The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of ‘15719 GRW’: (1) it is a hardy perennial with dense branching and a relatively compact growth habit; (2) it blooms profusely over a prolonged season; and (3) its flowers exhibit a very light purplish-blue (RHS 100C) background, which can intensify in response to high UV radiation (very pale purplish blue, RHS 101D), and a center eye that is dark red (RHS 59A) with an external halo of vivid red (RHS 57A).

‘15719 GRW’ plants can be readily and unambiguously distinguished from those of its parents. ‘15719 GRW’ plants exhibit very light purplish-blue (RHS 100C) flowers that have an average diameter of 15 cm, petals that have waved edges and do not overlap, and hastate, trilobed leaves. Whereas, ‘12078-5’ plants (pod parent) exhibit light purplish blue (RHS 95D) to very pale purplish blue (RHS 97C) flowers that have an average diameter of 10 cm and lobed leaves; and ‘14054-3M’ plants (pollen parent) exhibit very pale purple (RHS 69B) flowers that have an average diameter of 16 cm and hastate leaves.

‘15714-1N’ (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/501,698) is the hibiscus plant that exhibits flowers that are colored most similarly to those of ‘15719 GRW’. Nonetheless, plants of ‘15719 GRW’ and ‘15714-1N’ can also be readily and unambiguously distinguished from one another at least based upon flower shape, petal shape, and growth habit. The petals of ‘15719 GRW’ are not cupped and do not overlap; whereas, the petals of ‘15714-1N’ are cupped and overlap. Also, plants of ‘15719 GRW’ display a growth habit that is less compact than plants of ‘15714-1N’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

‘15719 GRW’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form, foliage, flowers, and leaves. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1—Shows a 6-week-old ‘15719 GRW’ plant in a container.

FIG. 2—Shows a ‘15719 GRW’ flower as seen looking slightly askew from the adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year-old plant.

FIG. 3—Shows ‘15719 GRW’ flowers, including one seen looking directly at the adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year old plant.

FIG. 4—Shows a ‘15719 GRW’ leaf.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘15719 GRW’. The detailed description was obtained using two-year-old plants grown in loamy sand, open-field, full sun trials at a nursery near Vernon, Tex., during which the plants were supplemented with fertilizer and water as needed. These plants are natural habit and were not treated with plant growth regulators and they were not pinched at any time in the growth year. ‘15719 GRW’ has not been observed under all possible environments, and certain characteristics may vary slightly under different environmental conditions. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2001 (4^(th) edition).

-   Propagation:     -   -   Method.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots from stem cuttings after treating             cuttings with a commercial rooting hormone.—About 2 weeks             under misting and at an air temperature of 85° C.         -   Rooting habit.—Normal, branching, fleshy, and developing a             thick diameter (to about 2.5 cm).         -   Root color.—Pale yellow (between RHS 161D and RHS 162D),             depending on soil type.         -   Crop time (under normal summer growing conditions and when             grown in a 4 L container from a rooted cutting).—8 to 10             weeks to flower with very good plant vigor. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Hardy herbaceous perennial with 6 to             8 thick upright and heavily branched main stems producing an             upright spreading mound about 100.0 cm tall and 95.0 cm             wide, which is widest about 50 cm above the soil line.         -   Primary branches.—8 to 12 per main stem that protrude at             about a 45° angle from horizontal.         -   Lateral branches.—On the middle half of the primary stems.         -   Lateral branch size.—Between 15 cm and 30 cm long (shorter             at the upper nodes) and with an average diameter of 8.0 mm             at their base.         -   Flower location.—Upper ⅓ of the plant beginning at axillary             nodes while still developing at the apex.         -   Stem.—Rounded, glabrous, glaucous; averages about 100.0 cm             tall and 3.5 cm diameter at their base.         -   Stem color.—Between brilliant yellowish green (RHS 134C) and             strong yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Internode.—About 18 nodes per stem below flower and about 32             total, average internode length is about 5.5 cm of unpinched             plant, but varies between 3.0 to 6.5 cm and are widest in             middle portion of stem. -   Foliage:     -   -   Shape.—Hastate, trilobed with slightly indented margins.         -   Texture.—Adaxial and abaxial matte.         -   Leaf blade size.—To about 16.0 cm long and 8.0 cm wide,             larger proximally and becoming smaller in distal portion of             stem.         -   Foliage color.—Adaxial and abaxial between vivid yellowish             green (RHS 134A) and strong yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Veins.—Palmate; adaxial and abaxial veins very pale green             (RHS 124D).         -   Petiole size (average).—7.5 cm long and 5.0 mm wide.         -   Petiole color.—Light yellowish green (RHS 135D). -   Flowers:     -   -   Buds.—One day prior to opening about 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm             in diameter, pointed apex and bluntly rounded base, unopened             petals wrinkled at veins; and, prior to showing petals,             about 3.5 cm long and 2.0 cm in diameter, elongated with             acute apex.         -   Bud color.—Exposed petal light violet (RHS 93D) toward apex             with vein tinting of strong violet (RHS 93C); and, prior to             showing petals, light violet (RHS 93D).         -   Epicalyx.—Entire, smooth, puberulent both surfaces, linear             with sharply acute apex and attenuate base, curved around             sepals; typically 12 per flower; about 2.5 cm long tapering             to base of about 3.0 mm wide.         -   Epicalyx color.—Adaxial and abaxial strong yellowish green             (RHS 135C).         -   Sepals.—5, proximal half connate forming campanulate             star-shaped calyx; acute apex; margin entire, edentate;             puberulent abaxial glabrous adaxial; individually about 3.5             cm long and about 2.5 cm wide at fusion point. From the             upper side of the flower, sepals visible as a star shape in             the center of the flower.         -   Sepal color.—Abaxial and adaxial color strong yellowish             green (RHS 135C).         -   Flowers.—Solitary, about 20 to 30 per main stem without             pinching; primarily outwardly facing; average 16 cm across,             larger in early part of flowering season; persist for one to             two days, depending on temperature; effective for at least             14 weeks beginning early July and lasting into October             (north Texas), no detectable fragrance.         -   Petals.—5; glabrous, dull both front and back, adnate to the             androecium to form a column, slightly imbricate to about 5%             overlapping at widest part (petals about 10% overlapping the             next petal to either side). Veins: Palmately veined, primary             and secondary veins impressed on front and ribbed on back;             veins extend from the eye zone; primary and secondary veins             pale purplish pink (RHS 65D). Shape: Rounded. Margins:             Entire, edentate, slightly frilled. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Short claw-like. Surface: Adaxial and abaxial glabrous,             slightly ribbed. Size (average): About 8.0 cm long and about             6.0 cm wide at widest portion (largest in earlier part of             flowering season); center dark eye about 4.0 cm diameter.             Color: Adaxial and abaxial near very light purplish-blue             (RHS 100C) intensifying to very pale purplish blue (RHS             101D) in UV light; center eye dark red (RHS 59A) with an             external halo in vivid red (RHS 57A).         -   Gynoecium.—Style: Enclosed in column about 5.0 cm long and             0.5 cm wide at base; column color vivid purplish red (RHS             61C); style protruding from column and split in distal 20.0             mm portion into typically 5 branches, branch diameter 2.0             mm; branch color nearest vivid purplish red (RHS 61C).             Stigma: Typically 5; globose, puberulose, about 3.0 mm in             diameter; color nearest very pale purple (RHS 69C). Ovary:             Superior, about 6.5 mm across at base and 6.0 mm tall; acute             apex.         -   Androecium.—Filaments: Numerous, about 180; less than 1.0 mm             in diameter and about 5.0 mm long; attached along nearly the             entire length of column; color nearest pale purplish pink             (RHS 62D). Anthers: Reniform; about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide;             nearest light yellow (RHS 163D). Pollen: Numerous, globose,             less than 0.1mm long; color light yellow (RHS 163D).         -   Pedicel.—Rounded in cross section, finely puberulent; length             from base of sepal to abscission point average 1.5 cm long             and 4.0 mm wide, longer on early flowers decreasing in later             flowers; color brilliant yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Peduncle.—Rounded, puberulent, average about 3.5 to 4.5 cm             long from abscission point to stem and 4.0 mm wide, slightly             longer on earlier flowers.         -   Peduncle color.—Brilliant yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Fruit.—Few, loculicidal capsule; glabrous; globose,             occasionally with abruptly acute apex; color between light             yellowish brown (RHS 199C) and dark grayish yellow (RHS             199D) when mature.         -   Seed.—Minutely floccose, typically globose; about 3.0 mm in             diameter; color between dark grayish reddish brown (RHS             200A) and moderate brown (RHS 200C). -   Resistance: The plant grows best with plenty of moisture, but is     able to tolerate some drought once established. Other pest and     disease resistance beyond that of other hardy perennial hibiscus     cultivars has not been observed. Hardiness at least from USDA Zone 4     through 9. -   Commercial use: Suitable for potted plant culture, landscaping as a     specimen or en masse, and especially suited for patios and confined     spaces because of the compact habit. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus hybrid (L.) plant named ‘15719 GRW’ as shown and described herein. 